MICROPLASTICS IN THE GREAT LAKES

I have two newspaper references for this posting namely the New York Times "For lakes, Small Beads Pose Threat" and the Waterloo Region Record "Group of 100 cities calls for action on "microplastics". These microplastics are tiny little beads that are used in used in personal care products such as facial and body washes, deodourants and toothpaste. They do not biodegrade but in fact are mistaken for food by fish. They also tend to become coated with poisons already in the water such as PCB's. These beads therefore bioaccumulate and could eventually work their way up the food chain, back to humans. Apparently these plastic beads are so tiny that they are not screened out at water treatment plants (ie. sewage treatment plants). This health care threat to wildlife and humans shows the wisdom in the O'Connor Report dealing with the Walkerton, Ontario water crisis over thirteen years ago. Justice O'Connor recommended a multi barrier system to keep toxins out of our water, namely not counting on end of the pipe treatment to cure all ills. Clearly Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble and others counted on our sewage treatment plants to deal with this problem of their making. Poor decision.